Italy unveils $1bn ports masterplan ITALY is to spend more than $1bn on projects to upgrade its ports and inland waterways in an effort to make the country's facilities more comp-etitive at a time when freight traffic is increasing.
Cyprus set to abandon box bases strategy CYPRUS is on the brink of abandoning a long-standing strategy of maintaining two container ports which made the island one of the leading players in the eastern Mediterranean transhipment business.
Box rates continue to slide MOVING empty containers back to Asia could keep ships occupied that would otherwise be idle.
New Lloyd's underwriting vehicle terms are agreed SYNDICATE Capital Trust and SVB Associates have agreed terms for a merger which will create a new Lloyd's underwriting vehicle specialising in the non-marine market.
Jamaica pledges to set safe zones for cruises JAMAICA has promised the Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association it will establish safe zones at all major cruise ports to minimise the harassment of passengers.
Talks on Canadian cat service postponed NEGOTIATIONS between Bri-tish Columbia Ferry Corp and Scandlines A/S of Copenhagan to operate a high speed catamaran service between downtown Vancouver and the provin-cial capital of Victoria, on Vancouver Island, have been put off at least until next year.
Evergreen sets Taranto agenda EVERGREEN, the Taiwanese container shipping to aviation giant, is to start operations at its own Mediterranean transhipment hub in Taranto by the end of 1999.
'Frejar' makes debut In a ceremony at Bremerhaven dry dock, the former German dredger, Heinrich Hirdes, has been renamed Freja R after being bought by Copenhagen-based Jens Rohde Nielsen. The split-hull hopper suction dredger, built in 1982, originally saw service on the Weser river. It will now be deployed on the west coast of Denmark.
Sri Lanka to move more boxes by rail SRI Lanka's state-owned Railway Department is planning to invest heavily in container transport, according to general manager WKB Weragama.
Chinese court sells Panama-flag bulker NINGBO Maritime Court has sold the arrested Panama-flagged bulker Golden Sunlight, according to the official New China News Agency.
Manila feels Asian fallout MANILA International Container Terminal (MICT) has reported a 13 per cent drop in cargo traffic for the first quarter of this year.
HK spill team seeks a new home HONG Kong Response Ltd (HKRL), the co-operative emergency oil spill response unit set up by five major oil companies last year, is seeking a new long-term operational base.
Indonesia pulls Thong Soon under THONG Soon Lines, a Singapore-based tramp and containership operator which had extensive Indonesian business, has gone into liquidation.
Djibouti plans transport hub DJIBOUTI'S transport minister accompanied by port authority representatives recently visited Marseilles to discuss extending the republic's role as a transport hub.
Piraeus workers to strike PIRAEUS port workers have announced a 48-hour strike between May 27 and 28, in protest against government plans to privatise the port.
P&O Nedlloyd appoints new American head MIKE Seymour, currently director of P&O Nedlloyd's Europe-Asia trades, has been appointed head of its North American office.
Oil companies criticised for pollution stance OIL company executives have no grounds to argue that oil pollution liability should be confined solely to shipowners, according to one Singapore owner.
Singapore to implement tanker controls TANKERS carrying more than 2,000 tonnes of oil cargo will have to possess a 1992 Civil Liability Convention (CLC 92) certificate when calling at Singapore after September 18.
Washington levies landmark oil-spill fine WASHINGTON state has fined Russia's Far Eastern Shipping Company $182,000 over an oil-spill on January 1.
Grain giants form elevator venture US grain giants Conagra and Archer Daniels Midland have formed a new joint venture to operate the grain export terminal formerly operated under the Peavey name at Kalama.
P&O Ports warns it may quit Newcastle A SECOND stevedoring company is warning it may pull out of the Australian port of Newcastle because of union problems.
Sovcomflot relaunches Jebsens UK UNICOM, the shipmanager controlled by Sovcomflot, has taken over the staff and offices of recently-closed Jebsens (UK).
Columbus to strengthen USWC-Australasia link COLUMBUS Line USA is to restore and strengthen its fixed-day weekly sailing schedules between the US West Coast and Australia/New Zealand.
Swan Reefer's takeover of Irgens Larsen cleared SWAN Reefers has completed the takeover of fellow Norwegian reefer operator Irgens Larsen, one week later than the originally agreed deadline.
CP completes acquisition of Ivaran Lines CANADIAN Pacific has confirmed that its acquisition of Ivaran Lines from Ivarans Rederi has been completed.
Kvaerner starts US job recruitment MORE than 12,000 former defence workers in the Philadelphia region have been invited to apply for jobs at the Kvaerner Philadelphia Shipyard.
La Belgique libéraliserait le fluvial en même temps que les Pays-Bas Une bonne nouvelle pour l'économie belge en général et les ports flamands en particuliers, la Belgique libéraliserait le secteur du transport fluvial à la même date que les Pays-Bas, le 31 décembre 98, c'est-à-dire avec un an d'avance sur la date prévue par l'UE. D'ores et déjà les gouvernements fédéral et régionaux se sont concertés et ont préparé des mesures d'accompagnement, qui ensemble, représentent un effort budgétaire de 2 mia. de BEF à répartir sur 3 ans.
Ducros Services Rapides repasse à l'offensive Après une nouvelle période difficile, Ducros Services Rapides a désormais bien amorcé son redressement financier. La société française de messagerie est dès lors en mesure de repasser à l'offensive. Gérard Léridon, PDG de Ducros, a expliqué qu'il veut procéder en plusieurs étapes et axer sa stratégie selon trois axes: le marché du monocolis; le renforcement des fonds propres; et la logistique.
Channels deeper, not cheaper The Victorian Channels Authority has finally completed dredging the channels into the Port of Geelong and has declared a new depth of 12.3 metres for Pt Richards; Wilson Spit; Hopetoun and Corio channels - 1.3 metres deeper than previously. The VCA's ceo Ian Edwards said the authority has established a differential pricing structure for the deepened channels, which has been approved by the Office of the Regulator General.
Administrators try for 'confidential' redundancies The administrators of the insolvent Patrick labor hire companies are today expected to advertise a confidential 1800 telephone service for waterfront workers to register their interest in redundancy packages, while P&O Ports was yesterday contemplating the next move in its row with the Maritime Union of Australia.
Regional ports woo container trade The western Australian ports of Albany and Bunbury and the Victorian port of Portland are combining their resources to their resources to map out a strategy focuses on winning them a share of the general cargo export container trade. Albany Port Authority general manager Bob Emery said the ports had agreed their regional economies could benefit from regaining direct general cargo container services and were involved in a three-part strategy to achieve this end.
Maritime union's time has come, says Reith The maritime Union of Australia will stop at nothing in the pursuit of its own narrow self-interest, according to the minister for Workplace Relations Peter Reith. Mr Reith said the nub of the issue between the stevedore and the union had always been reform of the MUA's monopoly supply of labor on the waterfront and the attendant inefficiencies that monopoly delivers.
NSW accident line to reopen The NSW rail freight line on which two people were killed earlier this week after a National Rail freight train derailed is expected to reopen later today. About 100 metres of rail track at the site of the derailment was badly damaged from the incident and had to be replaced.
Standards to be focus of ASF Regional shipping industry leaders will discuss a range of issues affecting owners and operators when the Australian Shipowners association hosts the seventh annual Asian Shipowners Forum at Sanctuary Cove on Monday and Tuesday next week. The main theme will be the mounting international pressure on the industry to rid the world of substandard shipping.
Big, bigger, too big? One of the main topics at this year's International Intermodal Expo was the continuing wave of mergers and alliances and their impact.
Maritime
Horn-Linie adds two new ports of call in Venezuela.
Maersk adds new port calls in Africa and the Seychelles.
Hamburg Süd boosts Mediterranean services. The Hamburg shipping line is upgrading two services that it operates with other lines between North Europe and the East Mediterranean.
Big, bigger, too big? One of the main topics at this year's International Intermodal Expo was the continuing wave of mergers and alliances and their impact.
Maritime
Horn-Linie adds two new ports of call in Venezuela.
Maersk adds new port calls in Africa and the Seychelles.
Hamburg Süd boosts Mediterranean services. The Hamburg shipping line is upgrading two services that it operates with other lines between North Europe and the East Mediterranean.
Big, bigger, too big? One of the main topics at this year's International Intermodal Expo was the continuing wave of mergers and alliances and their impact.
Maritime
Horn-Linie adds two new ports of call in Venezuela.
Maersk adds new port calls in Africa and the Seychelles.
Hamburg Süd boosts Mediterranean services. The Hamburg shipping line is upgrading two services that it operates with other lines between North Europe and the East Mediterranean.
Big, bigger, too big? One of the main topics at this year's International Intermodal Expo was the continuing wave of mergers and alliances and their impact.
Maritime
Horn-Linie adds two new ports of call in Venezuela.
Maersk adds new port calls in Africa and the Seychelles.
Hamburg Süd boosts Mediterranean services. The Hamburg shipping line is upgrading two services that it operates with other lines between North Europe and the East Mediterranean.
Big, bigger, too big? One of the main topics at this year's International Intermodal Expo was the continuing wave of mergers and alliances and their impact.
Maritime
Horn-Linie adds two new ports of call in Venezuela.
Maersk adds new port calls in Africa and the Seychelles.
Hamburg Süd boosts Mediterranean services. The Hamburg shipping line is upgrading two services that it operates with other lines between North Europe and the East Mediterranean.
CHAOS INDONESIAN SHIPPING faces turmoil from the political chaos that is sweeping the country. The unrest threatens to affect many shipowners and yards with links to the country's owners. Charter deals and newbuilding contracts with state oil company Pertamina look increasingly shaky. There is fear and uncertainty in the capital of Jakarta but some in the shipping community are putting on a brave face and pledging to stay put.
Wall Street learns ships THE HUGE level of interest in high-yield shipping issues is attracting a large number of Wall Street investors to shipping seminars. But for some there is a lot to learn.
Fredriksen wins again MAN of the moment John Fredriksen has come under the scrutiny of Norwegian tax authorities but he may now have reason to smile.
To golf or not to golf FEW PEOPLE get to the top in shipping without having to pick up a set of golf clubs. Meet the man who did.
Bratton to set her sails SARINA BRATTON left a top job at Cunard to try to fulfill her ambitions to become the Australian Queen of Cruise. Her first venture sets sail later this year.
Atomics and economics INDIAN SHIPPING is suffering an attack of the jitters as it tries to come to terms with economic sanctions imposed against the country after it conducted nuclear arms tests.
Mountain Cloud away THE RISE AND FALL of International Oil Tanking of Thailand is complete with the sale of the last ship in the fleet.
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